Process for the calibration, length measurement and packaging of portions of intestine used in pork butchery and apparatus for carrying it out

ABSTRACT

This process involves continuously measuring the size of a portion of intestine by means (3) and commanding by means of a computer (8) the selection of a packaging container or support (7) corresponding to this size. This process also involves measuring by means (4) the length of portions of each size which are packaged in the various containers or supports and stopping the run of the portion being measured when a predetermined packaged length is reached.

The subject of the present invention is a process for the calibration,length measurement and packaging of portions of intestine used in porkbutchery and an apparatus for carrying it out. It is customary, in thepork butchery sector, to use intestines of various animals, such assheep or pigs, to form casings serving for making sausages orsausagemeat.

The processing of an intestine is divided into several phases:

The first phase involves drawing and cleaning the intestine immediatelyafter the slaughtering of the animal, to avoid any risk of microbialgrowth and fermentation.

The second phase involves carrying out the scraping of the inner wall ofthe intestine, that is to say removing a so-called mucous layer from it,and the scraping of the outer part of the intestine which has aprotective membrane, in order to preserve only the muscular central partcomposed of two planes of smooth white fibres.

The third phase involves carrying out the calibration of the intestineas a function of its diameter. In fact, an intestine varies in diameterand quality over its entire length, these two parameters themselvesvarying with the age, breed, feeding method and rearing system of theanimals. The calibration operation is carried out, in a known way, byinflating the intestine with water or air in order to measure itsdiameter. When water is used, this is displaced 50 cm each time in orderto measure the diameter of the various successive portions. When air isused, the intestine is inflated over its entire length, its naturalconvolutions making it possible to keep it within the operator's fieldof vision. It is the operator's job to detect the diameter of theintestines and the changes in diameter visually.

To make his analysis easier, the operator can use a gauge consisting,for example, of a sliding calliper. At the same time as he determinesthe diameter, the operator must eliminate those parts of the intestineswhich are torn or have holes and must classify the portions of intestineaccording to various quality criteria in terms of the appearance of thetissue and its strength. As an example, it may be mentioned that thediameter of a sheep's intestine is calibrated by 2 mm, of a pig's smallintestine by 2 mm or by 3 mm, depending on the particular country, of acow's small intestine at by 3 mm and of a pig's or cow's large intestineby 5 mm.

The fourth phase in the processing of the intestine involves packagingthe latter according to its size and quality, this packaging inpredetermined lengths being carried out in the form of cured, dry orbriny hanks or by folding on a support, such as a rigid tube or anelongate support of flexible synthetic material.

These four successive phases in the processing of the intestine arecarried out independently of one another and empirically, the quality ofthe end result being governed essentially by the experience of theparticular operator. It is therefore very difficult to obtain a productof constant quality, the curers often complaining that the preparerscommit calibration errors.

The object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantagesby providing a process and an apparatus for carrying out this process,making it possible to automate the last two phases in the processing ofthe intestine, these being the most difficult, by carrying outcompletely objective measurements ensuring a high uniformity in thesizes of the packaged portions of intestines and an exact length at thepackaging stage.

For this purpose, this process involves continuously and successivelycarrying out the measurement of the diameter of a portion of intestine,the measurement of the length of the latter and then its packaging inone or more containers or on one or more supports corresponding to oneor more diameters measured during the calibration operation, themeasurement of the length of the portion of intestine being carried outby taking into account the length of the parts of different diameters,with integration of the length of intestine packaged in each containeror on each support, in such a way that as the portion of intestine beingmeasured is fed through, it is stopped if the length of the portion ofintestine in a container or on a support corresponding to the size ofthe portion being measured reaches a predetermined value.

Advantageously, when a change of size by a value higher or lower than apredetermined value is detected, this process involves stopping the runof the portion of intestine and then commanding the advance, counter tothe path of movement of the portion of intestine, of a container orsupport corresponding to the new size measured.

This technique is highly advantageous because it ensures an interactionbetween the measurement of the size of each portion of intestine and theselection of the container or support intended for receiving thisportion of intestine. Thus, after the tolerances for a particular sizehave been displayed, it is possible to be certain that the portions ofintestine supplied to a particular container or support correspondcorrectly to the size adopted for this support.

Moreover, adding a measurement of the length of run of the portions ofintestine makes it possible to ensure that an absolutely constant lengthof portions of intestine is packaged in each container or on eachsupport. Thus, for example, if the portions of intestine are to bestored by being drawn onto an elongate support of flexible syntheticmaterial to form an article of a length of 18 meters, the feeding of theportions of intestine intended to be engaged onto the elongate supportin question will stop as soon as a length of 18 meters has beenmeasured.

In an apparatus for carrying out this process, the means for calibratingthe portions of intestine consist of a tube, onto which each portion ofintestine is intended to be engaged and inside which is mounted adeformable parallelogram consisting of four links articulated about axestransverse relative to the tube, the junction zones between two links ofa pair of links being capable of projecting out of the tube throughlongitudinal slots which the latter possesses, in order to bear againstthe inner face of the intestine, means being provided to determine thedeformation of the parallelogram and consequently the diameter of theportion of intestine to be measured.

Furthermore, the component links of the deformable parallelogram areequipped with rollers of transverse axes which are uniformly distributedover their length and which form members for bearing on the intestine.

Advantageously, two links of the parallelogram bear on an abutment attheir adjacent ends, whilst the opposite ends of the other two links arearticulated on a rod seated axially inside the tube and associated withelastic means tending to deform the parallelogram in an openingdirection, a linear displacement sensor measuring the movements of therod inside the tube being provided.

According to one characteristic of this apparatus, the latter possesses,downstream of the calibration means, a measuring wheel, with which eachportion of intestine to be measured is intended to come in contact andwhich is equipped with a braking system acting in the absence of adriving of the intestine.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the means forpackaging the portions of intestine consist of a turret having an axisparallel to the direction of run of the portions of intestine andcarrying a certain number of cannulas which, parallel to the axis ofrotation and located at a distance from the latter equal to the distancebetween the said axis and the axis of movement of the portions ofintestine, each correspond to a size of intestine, this turret beingassociated with means for driving in rotation which are intended tobring into the axis of movement of the intestine a cannula of a sizecorresponding to that of the portion of intestine running through.

Finally, this apparatus has a computer making it possible to setparameters on the one hand for the sizes or size ranges and on the otherhand for the desired metering of each of the cannulas of the turret andwhich receives information from the calibrating and length-measuringdevices and, after the withdrawal of the drive heads, commands themovement of the turret, to bring into the loading position the cannulaof a size matching the measured size, and the stopping of the loading ofa cannula when the length of the portions of intestine engaged on thelatter is equal to a predetermined value.

At all events, the invention will be understood clearly from thefollowing description with reference to the accompanying diagrammaticdrawing illustrating an embodiment of this apparatus by way ofnon-limiting example:

FIG. 1 is a side view of it;

FIG. 2 is a partial view of the calibration system in longitudinalsection and on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a partial view of it in a section taken along the lineIII--III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the system for measuring the length of theintestine as it is fed through;

FIG. 5 is a view of the device for driving the intestine in a sectiontaken in a vertical plane, transverse relative to the axis of run of thelatter;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the system for packaging the portions ofintestine;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are two perspective views respectively of a cannulaintended for receiving the portions of intestine and of an elongatesupport of flexible synthetic material, after being loaded with portionsof intestine;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are side views of the cannula.

The machine illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a stand, designated by thereference 2, on which are mounted the various systems making it possibleto carry out the process. The reference 3 denotes the calibrationsystem, 4 designates the length-measuring system, 5 designates the drivesystem, 6 denotes a turret carrying cannulas 7 for packaging theportions of intestine, and 8 denotes a computer for the automaticcontrol of the various movements.

As shown more particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the system 3 forcalibrating the portions of intestine comprises a tube 9 which isfastened to the stand and of which the end located on the right in thedrawing is free, allowing the engagement of the portions of intestine tobe calibrated on the one hand and the removal of these on the otherhand.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the tube 9 serves for receiving four links 10forming a deformable parallelogram. The two links located on the sameside are articulated about an axle 11, whilst the two links located onthe same side as the free end of the tube are articulated about an axle12 at the end of a rod 13 seated axially inside the tube and subjectedto an elastic pulling movement adjustable, at its other end, by means ofa spring 14 and a lever 15 for adjusting the tension of the spring. Thisaction tends to deform the parallelogram in an opening direction becausetwo links bear against an abutment 12a, the links 10 being capable ofpassing through slots 16 made for this purpose in the tube 9. The links10 are equipped with rollers 17 forming members bearing on the innerface of the intestine, without risking damaging the latter, thedeformation of the parallelogram being limited as a result of thebearing on the intestine. Because the deformation of the parallelogramis accompanied by a displacement of the rod 13, a check of the movementsof the latter makes it possible to follow the change in diameter of theintestine to be calibrated.

As shown in FIG. 3, the means for measuring the movement of the rod 13consist of a linear displacement sensor designated by the generalreference 18.

Downstream of the calibration system illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 is asystem for measuring the length of run of the intestine, which, as shownin FIG. 4, consists of a wheel 26, with which the intestine comes incontact without sliding, to allow it to be driven. Keyed on the shaftcarrying the wheel 26 is a disc 27 supplying pulses to a pulse counter28 at each revolution. Finally, an electromagnetic brake 29 isassociated with the shaft carrying the wheel, to ensure that the latteris blocked in terms of rotation as soon as the means for driving theintestine cease to be actuated. The length measurement informationsupplied by the wheel 26 is transmitted to the computer 8.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the portions of intestineare intended to be packaged on elongate supports of flexible syntheticmaterial 30, each elongate support being intended, when it is beingloaded, to be fastened to a cannula 7 of a turret 6. The variouscannulas associated with this turret each correspond to a particularsize of intestine. This turret, the movement of which is controlled bythe computer, is driven in rotation by means of a motor 32, making itpossible to advance counter to the axis of run of the intestine thecannula 7 of a size corresponding to the measured size of the intestinerunning through.

As shown in FIG. 6, the hub 33 of the turret has an axial water feed 34communicating with a radial outlet 35 oriented in the direction of thecannula 7 being loaded. This arrangement makes it possible, by means ofthis water feed, to lubricate the cannula being loaded, thus making iteasier to fold the portions of intestine onto the latter.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, associated with each cannula 7 is a reel 36carrying a succession of elongate supports of synthetic materialseparated from one another by means of precut lines.

As shown in FIG. 7, each elongate support is positioned on a cannula ina flattened position, astride the upper part of the cannula, and isretained by means of a clip 37 intended for gripping the front end ofthe elongate support within a recess 38 which the said cannulapossesses.

The means for driving the intestine in its run through are illustratedin FIG. 5. These means comprise essentially two conical heads 39 whichhave parallel axes and the smaller cross-section of which faces theopposite way to their support. The support 40 of the two heads 39 ismounted displaceably in a direction parallel to the axis of the heads,this displacement being obtained by means of a jack 42. A motor 43, withwhich a brake 44 and a tacho-generator 45 are associated, drives the twoheads 39 in opposite directions to one another by means of a splinedshaft 46. In the working position, the two heads 39 come to bear againstthe front part of a cannula 7 being loaded and make it possible to bringthe intestine onto this. The fact that the heads are conical allows theintestine to be loaded onto cannulas of different cross-sections, thatis to say matched to the different sizes. In practice, during the run ofthe intestine, the heads 39 are in contact with a cannula 7. As soon asthe machine stops, in order to place a new cannula in the loadingposition, the heads retract to allow a free rotation of the turret,before returning to the working position when the cannula correspondingto the new size selected is in the loading position.

This apparatus functions as follows: the operator first starts byloading a portion of intestine onto the calibrating tube 9. After thesize measurement, the end of this portion of intestine is broughtmanually onto the cannula of corresponding size which itself has beenequipped with a flexible elongate support. The operator then commandsthe automatic start-up of the machine. The heads 39 drive the intestinewhich is folded onto the cannula 7 and onto an elongate support 30 whichthe latter possesses. The length of the intestine running through ismeasured continuously by the wheel 26. If the size measured by thesystem 3 is perfectly uniform, the run continues until the wheel 26 hasmeasured a predetermined length corresponding to the length allowed forthe loading of a flexible elongate support which, for example, is 18meters.

Conversely, if the system 3 detects a change of size, the computercommands the stopping of the drive of the intestine by the heads 39, thebraking of the wheel 26 by the brake 29, the withdrawal of the heads 39,and the actuation of the turret in rotation in order to bring, counterto the axis of run of the intestine, a cannula corresponding to the newsize measured. The operator cuts the portion of intestine and engages itonto this new cannula and then commands the restarting of the machine.

As emerges from the foregoing, the invention affords a great improvementto the existing technique by providing a process and an apparatus ofsimple design and structure, making it possible simultaneously to carryout the size measurement, length measurement and packaging of portionsof intestine.

It goes without saying that the invention is not limited only to themethod of carrying out this process, nor only to the embodiment of theapparatus which are described above by way of example; on the contrary,it embraces all their alternative versions. Thus, in particular, themeans for measuring the size of the intestine could be different andcould consist, for example, of a pouch which is put under pressurepneumatically or hydraulically and on which the intestine would slide,the diameter of the intestine could be measured by means of a series ofphotoelectric cells, the means for driving the intestine could bedifferent, the heads being fixed and the cannula being axiallydisplaceable in relation to these, or the packaging means could consistof containers, without thereby departing from the scope of theinvention.

I claim:
 1. Process for the calibration, length measurement andpackaging of portions of intestine used in pork butchery, characterizedin that it involves continuously and successively carrying out themeasurement of the diameter of a portion of intestine, the measurementof the length of the latter and then its packaging in one or morecontainers or on one or more supports corresponding to one or morediameters measured during the calibration operation, the measurement ofthe length of the portion of intestine being carried out by taking intoaccount the length of the parts of different diameters, with integrationof the length of intestine packaged in each container or on eachsupport, in such a way that as the portion of intestine being measuredis fed through, it is stopped if the length of portions of intestine ina container or on a support corresponding to the size of the portionbeing measured reaches a predetermined value.
 2. Process according toclaim 1; characterized in that, when a change of size by a value higheror lower than a predetermined value is detected, it involves stoppingthe run of the portion of intestine and then commanding the advance,counter to the path of movement of the portion of intestine, of acontainer or support corresponding to the new size measured.
 3. Anapparatus for calibrating, length measuring and packaging of portions ofintestine used in pork butchery, comprising a calibration means forcalibrating portions of intestine, the calibrating means comprising atube, onto which each portion of intestine is intended to be fitted andinside which is mounted a deformable parallelogram comprised of fourlinks articulated about pins transverse relative to the tube, joiningzones between two links of a pair of links being able to project outfrom the tube through longitudinal slots of the tube and bear againstthe inner face of the intestine; and determining means for determiningthe deformation of the parallelogram, the deformation of theparallelogram indicating the diameter of the portion of intestine to bemeasured.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the links ofthe deformable parallelogram are equipped with traverse pins, uniformlydistributed over a length of the links, and rollers, being mounted onthe traverse pins for bearing on the intestine.
 5. The apparatusaccording to claim 3, wherein two adjacent ends of two links of theparallelogram bear on a stop while opposite ends of the other two linksare articulated on a rod seated axially inside the tube and associatedwith elastic means tending to deform the parallelogram in an openingdirection, and further comprising a linear displacement sensor formeasuring movement of the rod inside the tube.
 6. The apparatusaccording to claim 3, wherein, downstream of the calibration means, theapparatus further comprises a measuring wheel, wherein each portion ofthe intestine to be measured comes in contact with the measuring wheel,said measuring wheel having a braking system acting when the portion ofintestine ceases to be driven.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 6,further comprising a measuring means for measuring lengths of portionsof intestine, comprising a pulse counter for measuring the number ofrevolutions of the measuring wheel, and wherein the braking system is anelectromagnetic braking system.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 3,further comprising a means for packaging portions of intestinecomprising a turret having a rotation axis parallel to a direction oftravel of a said portion of intestine and carrying cannulas, saidcannulas being parallel to the rotation axis and located at a distancefrom the rotation axis equal to a distance between said rotation axisand an axis along which portions of intestine move, each cannulacorresponding to one size of intestine, wherein the turret is associatedwith a rotational driving means for bringing a cannula of a sizecorresponding to the portion of intestine running through the apparatusinto an axis of the direction of travel of the portion of intestine. 9.The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a means fordriving the intestine comprising two conical heads, at least one saidconical head being driven rotationally and arranged on either side ofthe cannula in the loading position, to bear on the cannula, the twoheads being mounted on a support displaceable in a direction parallel tothe axis of the heads, the displacement of the support being designed torelease the heads from the cannula in the filling position before theturret is set in rotation.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 8,wherein the turret is equipped with a central water feed having a radialoutlet intended for feeding water only to a said cannula which is inposition for accepting the portion of intestine.
 11. The apparatusaccording to claim 8, wherein each cannula further comprises a frontend, located on a side bringing up the portion of intestine, and arecess located near said front end for engaging a clip for holding aflexible sheath for packaging the portions of intestine in a flatposition and arranged astride an upper end of the cannula to allow theintestine to pass onto the sheath.
 12. The apparatus according to claim8, wherein each cannula further comprises a first part and a secondpart, displaced axially and normally held in contact by the action of aspring, said first and second parts being displaceable axially againstthe action of said spring to leave a gap for gripping an end of aflexible sheath designed to receive a portion of intestine.
 13. Theapparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a computer forsetting 1) parameters for the sizes or ranges of the sizes; and 2) adesired metering of each of the cannulas of the turret; said computerreceiving information from the calibrating means and measuring means,and after the withdrawal of the conical heads, instructing the turret tomove and bring the cannula of a size matching the measured size into aloading position and stopping loading of the cannula when a length ofthe portion of intestine fitted on the cannula equals a predeterminedvalue.
 14. Apparatus for the calibration, length measurement andpackaging of portions of intestine used in pork butchery, comprisingmeans for carrying out measurement of a diameter of a portion ofintestine, means for carrying out measurement of a length of the portionof intestine and means for packaging the portion of intestine in one ormore containers or on one or more supports corresponding to one or morediameters measured during the calibration operation, the measurement ofa length of the portion of intestine being carried out by taking intoaccount the length of parts of different diameters, with integration ofthe length of intestine packaged in each container or on each support,in such a way that the travel of a portion of intestine being measuredis stopped if the length of portions of intestine in a container or on asupport corresponding to the size of the portion being measured reachesa predetermined value.